Hinge



May 14 1940- A. F. WINTERcoRN er Ax. 2,200,317

HINGE Filed Aug. 2, 1937 Patented May 14, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE HINGE T. Atwood Appncauon'august 2, 1937, serial No. .156,916

6 Claims.

This invention relates to hinges generally, but is more particularly concerned with improved ball-and-socket type hinges for the doors of motor vehicles. v

Itis the principal object of our invention to provide hinges of the kind mentioned wherein the ball head has a swivel fit in a circular hole, or in an annular seat formed in a perforated or recessed part, whereby to obtain greater accuracy at lower cost and with less difficulty in the process of manufacture.

Another important object of our invention is to provide hinges of the kind mentioned having the socket part of stamped sheet metal construction.

Still another object is to provide hinges of the kind mentioned wherein both the ball head member and socket member are of stamped sheet metal construction.

These and other objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following detailed description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawing, whereiny Figs. 1 and 2 are a horizontal and vertical section, respectively, through a portion of a door pillar and door, showing a concealed ball-andsocket type hinge wherein the ball and socket parts are both of stamped sheet metal construction, Fig. 2 being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig, 2, but shows a further variation, while Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and

Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. l and 2, but showing the reverse arrangement of the ball and socket members with relation to the door pillar and door.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

In Figs. 1 and 2, two sheet metal stampings 62C and 61e are bolted, as at lle, to the wall of the body pillar 25e. The plate 62e has a lug rilc bent substantially at right angles thereto, while the plate 61e has a lug 66e bent substantially at right angles thereto, and between these lugs the ball head 80a of the gooseneck member 28d is adapted to be retained and supported for swivel movement. The projecting lugs on the two plates are formed to provide hollow cylindrical'bosses, as at 14, and countersunk or chamfered to provide the annular seats 51 to lit the ball head. Now, the gooseneck member 28a is formed from two sheet metal stampings 15and 16 substantially L-shaped with one end stamped to hollow semispherical shape, as indicated at 11, while the other end is bent at right angles, as at 18, to provide attaching lugs arranged to be bolted to the wall (Cl. 1li-135) of the door frame member 45e, as indicated at 19. A tapping plate 80 is provided and the bolts 19 extend through vertical slots 8l in the door frame to thread in the tapping plate. The wall abutting face 82 on the lug 18, as well as the wall abutting face 83: on the tapping plate, are preferably serrated so as to take good hold when the bolts 19 are tightened. For a similar reason, the wall abutting faces 82 of the plates 62e and 61C are serrated, and it will be noticed that the bolts 4le extend through horizontal'slots 8l in the wall of the body pillar member 25e to permit in and out adjustment of the socket. The pieces 15 and 16 are both ribbed longitudinally, as at 84, between the ball head end and the attaching end for reenforcement and to lend stiffness, and the pieces may be riveted together, as indicated at 85. If desired, absorbent wick material may be provided inside the ball head 30a, as indicated at 86, and an oil hole 81 may be provided in one half of the ball head, and another oil hole 88 in the upper half of the socket to supply lubricant to the ball and socket joint. An additional hole -may be provided, if desired,` as indicated at 89 in the lower half of the ball head to insure lubrication of the lower half of the socket, although it is believed that sufficient lubricant will seep through the joint in the ball head to furnish adequate lubrication for both halves of the socket. Since the ball head or gooseneck member 28a is vertically adjustable while the socket parts are horizontally adjustable, it is clear that the present construction makes the door universally adjustable inthe door opening, and there is therefore no diiculty in centering the door and lining it up with the body and with a companion door. The manufacture of the ball head or gooseneck member of sheet metal construction results in a substantial saving in cost, and the cost is low enough to be competitive with the old style pintle hinges. The hinge is moreover easily assembled on the doors and pillars of motor cars as now constructed. The construction is furthermore selfcentering and there is deiinite assurance of a complete circle of bearing contact between the ball head and the seats 51- therefor, the present construction accordingly eliminating the necessity for keeping the production of ball heads within close limits, whereas with other constructions providing spheroidal-shaped depressions for reception of the ball head, it was obviously important to have the ball head and socket parts made accurately to i'lt one another. Slight run out in the production of the ball heads with the present construction is practically unnoticeable by reason v Hinges of the present construction will not bind nor develop play and give rise to door rattling like the old style pintle hinges.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a variation of the construction of Figs. 1 and 2, in which the ball head 30h has the two halves 11 thereof perforated, as at 90, for the passage of a bolt 9| diametrically therethrough, the bolt being entered through holes in the lugs Gld and 66d on the plates 62d and 61d, respectively. Obvously with such a construction there is increased strength asa result of the bolting together of the two halves of the socket, and of course the holes 90 may be provided large enough in relation to the diameter of the shank of the bolt 9| to allow ample angularity of universal movement of the ball head relative to the socket. It is understood, of course, that the plates 62d and 61d may be bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the wall of the body pillar. The two parts 'l5' and 18 of thegooseneck member 28h are ribbed longitudinally at 84 similarly as in the previous construction, and are riveted together as at 85. If desired, an oil hole may be provided inthe lug Bld next to the bolt head, as at 88'; to furnish lubricant to the balland-socket joint, and, if desired, absorbent Wick material may be provided inside the ball head 30h yto retain lubricant. The advantages and operation of this construction are similar to what is obtained with the construction of Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a hinge construction having the reverse arrangement of the ball and socket members with relation to the body and pillar from that disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2. Here the ball head 30e is formed by the semi-spherical ends of plates 62e and 61e, bolted as at 4|f to the body pillar j, while the gooseneck member 28o is formed similarly as the gooseneck members 28a and 28h except that the outer ends 14' of the two halves 15e and 16e are recessed and provide seats 51 therein for the ball head 30o. An oil hole 88a in the upper half of the socket formed on the outer end of the gooseneck member 28e permits supplying lubricant to the ball and socket joint, and an oil hole 81a may be provided in the upper half of the ball head e and absorbent wick material 86a may be provided inside the ball head to provide for similar lubrication as with the hinge of Figs. 1 and 2. An additional oil hole may be provided in the lower half of the ball head, as at 89a, if desired. It is obvious that substantially the same advantages are obtained with this construction as with the construction oi' Figs. 1 and 2.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of our invention. .The appended claims are drawn with a view to covering all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

We claim:

1. In a hinge construction, the combination of a ball head member comprising a generally L- shaped substantially horizontal shank terminating in'a ball head at one end and a substantially vertical attaching portion at the other end adapted to be attached to one of a door and body in mounting the door on the body of a vehicle, and a socket for said ball head comprising a pair of sheet metal angular attaching plates each comprising an attaching portion in a substan-v tially vertical planefor attachment to the other of said door and body and a socket portion disposed in a substantially horizontal plane substantially at right angles thereto and projecting from the attaching portion in a direction away from the attaching portion of the ball head member, the socket portion having a circular socket recess provided therein for swivel reception of a portion of the ball head therein, said attaching plates being disposed with the socket portions on. diametrically'opposite sides of the ball head, and with the attaching portions xedly mounted in vertically spaced relation so as to permit swinging movement of the L-shaped shank of the ball head member therebetween.

2. A hinge as .set'forth in claim 1, wherein at n least the head end of the ball head member is formed from two piecesvof sheet metal, the ball head being formed by two dished portions placed with the rims thereof in edge to edge abutment with one another, the hollow ball head thus formed constituting a lubricant reservoir, said head having a filling of absorbent material between the halves thereof, and one of the aforesaid socket portions having an oil hole provided therein, and at least one of said semi-spherical end portions having an oil hole provided therein communicating with the oil reservoir.

3. A hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ball head member is formed from two L-shaped pieces of sheet metal with the ball head formed by two dished end portions of said pieces placed with the rims thereof in edge to edge abutment with one another, the shank portions of both pieces being formed to substantially channelshaped cross-section to provide longitudinal reenforcing and stiffening ribs projecting in opposite directions relative to one another when the pieces forming the ball head member are placed edge to edge in assembled relation.

4. In a hinge construction, the combination of a ball head member comprising a generally L- shaped substantially horizontal shank termi-l nating in a ball head at one end and a substantially vertical attaching portion at the other end adapted to be attached to one of a door and body in vmounting the door on the body of a vehicle, and a socket for said ball head comprising a pair of sheet metal angular attaching plates each comprising an attaching portion in a substantially vertical plane for attachment to the other of said door and body and a socket portion disposed in a substantially horizontal plane substantially at right angles thereto and-project-V ing from the attaching portion in a direction away from the attaching portion of the ball head member, the socket portion having a circular socket recess provided therein for swivel reception of a portion of the ball head therein, said attaching plates being disposed With the socket portions on diametrically opposite sides of the ball head, and with the attaching portions fixed- 5. A hinge as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the sheet metal angular attaching plates has a hollow substantially cylindrical boss provided on the socket portion wherein the circular socket recess is provided for swivel reception of the ball head, said boss having an end wall substantially parallel to and spaced from the rest of the socket portion and adapted to lie in spaced relation to the ball head received in the socket recess, there being a spheroidal circular seat provided in the other open end of said boss adapted s'lidably to engage the ball head.

6. As an article of manufacture, a socket member for a ball and socket hinge comprising a sheet metal body of angular form providing an attaching portion in one plane for attachment to one of a door and body in mounting a door on the body of a vehicle, and a socket portion in a transverse plane substantially at right angles to the attaching portion, the socket portion having a hollow cylindrical boss provided thereon, the boss having an end wall in parallel spaced relation to the rest of the socket portion, and said socket portion having a spheroidal circular seat provided therein in concentric spaced relation to said end wall adapted to have slidable engagement with a ball head, said seat being so spaced in relation to said end wall that the ball head adapted to engage the seat will lie in spaced relation to the end wall.

ANDREW F. WINTERCORN.

EDWARD P. McCANNA. 

